Contemporary Art and the Viewer: Responsibilities and Interactions

Description/Abstract/Artist Statement

Art comprises a wide range of forms, styles, and expressions, making it difficult to define. What one person sees as art may be very different from another's view. Museums play an important role in the art world as guardians of cultural heritage and arbiters of taste. In doing so, museums have a huge impact on popular opinions of art, defining what is worthy of attention and admiration. While this authority can give helpful counsel and context, it also imposes constraints and prejudices that may possibly exclude viewpoints. Historical changes can profoundly affect the viewer's experience, which can find more immediate comfort in recognizable imagery and apparent skills of Renaissance versus modern and conceptual artworks. This paper urges viewers to actively investigate and understand art by emphasizing artists' responsibilities as idea provocateurs and convention challengers. Spectators have the ability to negotiate the value and definition of art, creating a more vibrant, dynamic, and inclusive cultural environment.

Presenting Author Name/s

Martina Ciriesi

Faculty Advisor/Mentor

Vittorio Colaizzi

Faculty Advisor/Mentor Department

Department of Art

College Affiliation

College of Arts & Letters

Presentation Type

Oral Presentation

Disciplines

Contemporary Art | Modern Art and Architecture | Theory and Criticism

Session Title

Art History Session 2 - Structure and Analysis of Artistic Practice

Location

Learning Commons @Perry Library, Room 1306

Start Date

3-30-2024 10:45 AM

End Date

3-30-2024 11:45 AM

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Mar 30th, 10:45 AM Mar 30th, 11:45 AM

Contemporary Art and the Viewer: Responsibilities and Interactions

Learning Commons @Perry Library, Room 1306

Art comprises a wide range of forms, styles, and expressions, making it difficult to define. What one person sees as art may be very different from another's view. Museums play an important role in the art world as guardians of cultural heritage and arbiters of taste. In doing so, museums have a huge impact on popular opinions of art, defining what is worthy of attention and admiration. While this authority can give helpful counsel and context, it also imposes constraints and prejudices that may possibly exclude viewpoints. Historical changes can profoundly affect the viewer's experience, which can find more immediate comfort in recognizable imagery and apparent skills of Renaissance versus modern and conceptual artworks. This paper urges viewers to actively investigate and understand art by emphasizing artists' responsibilities as idea provocateurs and convention challengers. Spectators have the ability to negotiate the value and definition of art, creating a more vibrant, dynamic, and inclusive cultural environment.